


Waging War on Ourselves

by PrussianInAmerica



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: ANGST ALL THE WAY, Angst, Gen, I tried to fit Mystrade in at the end but the muse said NO, Kidlock, Lots of Angst, Mycroft Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 20:05:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/871457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrussianInAmerica/pseuds/PrussianInAmerica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Holmes brothers through the years</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waging War on Ourselves

The Holmes brothers didn't always hate each other. They used to spend long afternoons playing on the expansive grounds surrounding their home. When Sherlock outgrew playing (at around four and a half years old) they spent days in the library, stretched out on the carpet reading books in relaxing sunbeams. They watched television together - though not often - on the couch, with Sherlock's head in Mycroft's lap, allowing him to card his fingers through his younger brother's dark curls.

When the bullies at Sherlock's school got to him more than usual, he would come home, still stubbornly refusing to let any tears fall - he's always tried to put on a brave face, contrary to popular belief this isn't due to Mycroft's own inner mantra, "Caring is not an advantage" - and call out for Mycroft. They'd spend the rest of the day in Mycroft's room reading Treasure Island and eating sweets.

When Mycroft had gone off to university and the stress of everything he was expected to responsible for became too much he came back home and took Sherlock out for the day. They spent a few hours forgetting everything that was "expected of a Holmes man" and ate fish and chips in ratty t-shirts and jeans.

Sherlock went to university when he was seventeen. Everything seemed fine at first. Then he stopped calling Mycroft. He went missing halfway through his second year, and Mycroft found him three days later in a shitty flat, overdosed on heroin. Sherlock started disliking his brother the minute he woke up in hospital. He hated him the second the word "rehab" left his lips.

Sherlock was out as fast as he went in. He didn't go back to school. He dropped off Mycroft's radar again. Once Mycroft located him again he kept to the shadows of Sherlock's life. For years they didn't talk but for the few times Mycroft dropped by to check on him and nursed him back to sobriety. Mostly, it was Sherlock who talked then. Babbling nonsense at first, then yelling and spitting insults when he was aware of his surroundings.

When he was twenty-four, Gregory Lestrade found him in his Montague street flat when he overdosed again. Cocaine now. Greg told him that if he didn't clean up his act he wasn't getting any more cases.

That helped. It wasn't as easy as Sherlock assumed it would be (despite what he convinced himself, he was an addict, and giving up an addiction isn't easy. Not even for a Holmes.) but he did it. He had worked with the Yard for nearly five years before he moved to Baker street and met John Watson.

Knowing all that's happened, you must have come to the conclusion that Mycroft Holmes has never hated his brother. He has been angry with his brother, he has been disappointed in his brother, and he has been sad for his brother. But above all, Mycroft Holmes has always loved his baby brother.

And when one is the brother of Sherlock Holmes, caring is _not_ an advantage.


End file.
